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Argentine thornfish (Bovichtus argentinus) — Bovichtidae

Argentine thornfish

Bovichtus argentinus
Family: Bovichtidae

The Argentine thornfish (Bovichtus argentinus) is a saltwater fish of the family Bovichtidae that grows up to 30 cm.

Length
30 cm
Water
Saltwater
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
South America: Argentina, Uruguay

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Description

The Argentine thornfish is a thornfish (Bovichtidae) from cool coastal waters of coastal waters of southern South America. The species grows to about 15-30 cm and has a stocky body with a broad, flattened head, large, fan-shaped pectoral fins and a brown-mottled, scale-poor body. As a bottom-dweller it perches among rocks and weed of the surf and tide pools and seizes small crustaceans, molluscs and small fish. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Argentine thornfish?

The Argentine thornfish has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a marbled pattern.

Where does the Argentine thornfish live?

The Argentine thornfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. South America: Argentina, Uruguay

How big does the Argentine thornfish get?

The Argentine thornfish grows to a maximum of about 30 cm.

Is the Argentine thornfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Argentine thornfish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

More photos

Argentine thornfish (Bovichtus argentinus) — Bovichtidae — 2
Abel Romero (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Argentine thornfish (Bovichtus argentinus) — Bovichtidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Daniel Fernando Vidal, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Argentine thornfish (Bovichtus argentinus) — Bovichtidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Tomás Tamagno, some rights reserved (CC BY))
Argentine thornfish (Bovichtus argentinus) — Bovichtidae — 5
Wikimedia Commons — Ryo (CC BY 4.0)

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Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Argentine thornfish is one of 12,519 species in the app.

All data

Identification

English name
Argentine thornfish sourced
Scientific name
Bovichtus argentinus
Family
Bovichtidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
30
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Marbled sourced
Tail shape
Rounded

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Natural range
South America: Argentina, Uruguay sourced
Origin
Native

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
No
Reproduction
Separate sexes
Sexual dimorphism
No
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known.

For anglers

Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish.
Regulations source

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Bovichtus

More from the family Bovichtidae

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Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Argentine thornfish is one of 12,519 species in the app.

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